Understanding By Design Unit - ECUR 325

Title of Unit Understanding the Keepern Me Novel by Grade Level 12 - ELA

Richard Wagamese

Subject English A 30 Time Frame 15 hours

Developed By Leah Harvey

Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results

Broad Areas of Learning
How are the BAL incorporated into this unit?

This unit will promote lifelong learners by asking students to connect to their personal beliefs, experiences, and
identity when they relate to the characters experiences in the novel. The rationale behind personal connections is
for students to build an individual connection with the literary piece. It is through the students careful, and curious
observations that will encourage students to demonstrate courage and positive strength, into develop engage
citizenship. The main character in the novel has encountered a long courageous journey in his youthful & adult life,
students will have many opportunities throughout the novel to connect with their strong sense of personal self
where they can learn from the environment as the main character goes through the different personal growth
stages. Students will learn about identity, the foster care system which is also part of the sixties scoop material
as well as take a good quick look in how these hardships have affected many First Nation, Metis & Inuit people
across Canada.

Lifelong Learners Students who are engaged in constructing and applying English language arts knowledge naturally build a
positive disposition towards learning. Throughout their study of English language arts, students gain understandings, skills, and
strategies to become more competent and confident language users.

Sense of Self, Community, and Place To learn English language arts, students need not only to use the English language but
also to interact with each other. Through the English language arts, students learn about themselves, others, and the world. The
students use language to define who they are and to explore who they might become. They use language to interact and to
respond effectively with others and to build community.

Engaged Citizens In the English language arts, students learn how language enables them to make a difference in their
personal, family, and community lives. Language gives them a sense of agency and an ability to make a difference in their
community and the world in which they live.
Cross curricular Competencies
How will this unit promote the CCC?

Developing Thinking (DT) - Learners construct knowledge to make sense of the world around them. They develop
understanding by building on what is already known. This key competency concerns that ability to make sense of information,
experiences, and ideas through thinking contextually, critically, and creatively. The philosophy of learning in English language arts
is inquiry-based, and students use their language and thinking skills to explore a range of topics, issues, and themes.

Developing Identity and Interdependence (DII) - The ability to act autonomously in an interdependent world requires an
awareness of the natural environment, of social and cultural expectations, and of the possibilities for individual and group
accomplishments. It assumes the possession of a positive self-concept and the ability to live in harmony with others and with the
natural and constructed worlds. Achieving this competency requires understanding, valuing, and caring for oneself;
understanding, valuing, and respecting human diversity and human rights and responsibilities; and understanding and valuing
social and environmental interdependence and sustainability. English language arts requires students to explore ideas and issues
of identity, social responsibility, diversity, sustainability, and personal agency.

Developing Literacies (DL) - Literacies provide many ways, including the use of various language systems and media, to
interpret the world and express understanding of it. Literacies involve the evolution of interrelated skills, strategies, and
understandings that facilitate an individuals ability to participate fully and equitably in a variety of roles and contexts - school,
home, and local and global communities. To achieve this competency requires developing skills, strategies, and understandings
related to various literacies in order to explore and interpret the world and communicate meaning. English language arts requires
students to use different literacies, including language literacy, effectively and contextually to represent ideas and understanding
in multiple, flexible ways.

Developing Social Responsibility (DSR) - Social responsibility is how people positively contribute to their physical, social, and
cultural environments. It requires the ability to participate with others in accomplishing shared or common goals. This
competency is achieved through using moral reasoning processes, engaging in communitarian thinking and dialogue, and acting
to contribute to learners physical, social, and cultural environments. In English language arts, students explore their social
responsibility and work toward common goals to improve the lives of others and the natural and constructed worlds.

Learning Outcomes
What relevant goals will this unit address?
(must come from curriculum; include the designations e.g. IN2.1)

Outcome: CR A 30.1
View, listen to, read, comprehend, and respond to a variety of grade-appropriate First Nations, Mtis,
Saskatchewan, and Canadian texts that address: identity (e.g., Define the Individual, Negotiate the Community)

Outcome: CR A 30.2
View and evaluate critically information and ideas obtained from First Nations, Mtis, Saskatchewan, and Canadian
visual and multimedia texts including an advertisement, news broadcast, poster, and film.

Outcome: CR A 30.3
Listen to, comprehend, and develop coherent and plausible interpretations of grade-appropriate literary and
informational texts created by First Nations, Mtis, Saskatchewan, and Canadian speakers and authors from
various communities.

Outcome: CR A 30.4
Read, demonstrate comprehension of, and apply knowledge from grade-appropriate informational (including
editorials, reviews, and articles) and literary (including fiction, script, poetry, and nonfiction) texts from First
Nations, Mtis, Saskatchewan, and Canadian authors as a basis for understanding self and the multiplicity of
voices and perspectives that make up Canadian culture.

Outcome: CC A 30.1
Create a range of visual, multimedia, oral, and written texts that explore:
o identity (e.g., Define the Individual, Negotiate the Community.

Enduring Understandings Essential Questions

What understandings about the big ideas are desired? (what you
want students to understand & be able to use several years from
now)
What misunderstandings are predictable?
Students will understand that
What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the
content? (open-ended questions that stimulate thought and
inquiry linked to the content of the enduring understanding)
Content specific.

That there are some very important aspects of Identity that are
explored. And that there are times when people become
displaced from ones home community and environment.
Students should understand that there were some policies put in
place for child and family services such as the sixties scoop that
severed First Nations ties from their communities and thus
leading to identity, cultural and language loss. Thus, causing
many who were put in foster care to have many hardships in
their lives.
What do good readers do, especially when they dont
comprehend a text?
How does, What I am reading influence how I should read it?
Why am I writing? For whom?
How do effective writers hook and hold their readers?
What is the relationship between fiction and truth?
How is the story related to my experiences and me?
How does the sixties scoop still affect our society today?
How does your own personal background affect your
worldview?

FNMI, multicultural, cross-curricular

Related misconceptions
The misconceptions and misunderstandings that some troubled
First Nations communities and people who been through the
child and family services and sixties scoop are responsible for
their hardships.
First Nation author Richard Wagamese is the author of
Keepern Me in this novel study. Within his novel, he brings
First Nation content regarding identity, First Nation
communities, ties to the land as a First Nation person, kinship,
foster care system, postcolonialism, the aftermath of
colonialism, intergenerational trauma, and the effects all
Canadas first people endure with their communities. The
Blanket Exercise ties our unit all together.

Knowledge: Skills
What knowledge will student acquire as a result of this unit? What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit? List
This content knowledge may come from the indicators, or might the skills and/or behaviours that students will be able to
also address pre-requisite knowledge that students will need for exhibit as a result of their work in this unit. These will come
 this unit. from the indicators.

Students will know... Students will be able to

Social class, race, ability, and background influences your Read critically aloud without help from the teacher.
everyday life, way of thinking and each student has their own Read critically into the hardships of main character without
story of Identity to be told. Social action, sense of identity, and help from the teacher.
social responsibility. Read with knowing the history of foster care system.
A comprehensive study of First Nation people will involve many Read with empathy and relating to your own identity.
themes including (but not limited to) culture, community
organization, traditions, languages, (de)colonization, spirituality,
contemporary socio-economic circumstances, and residential
schooling. Many of the loss identity issues for First Nations
people and communities come from policies created by the
Federal Government in Indian Affairs department, such as
residential schools, sixties scoop, banning of cultural practices.

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Task
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate the desired understandings, knowledge, and skills? (describes the
learning activity in story form. Typically, the P.T. describes a scenario or situation that requires students to apply knowledge and skills
to demonstrate their understanding in a real life situation. Describe your performance task scenario below)
By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged?
GRASPS Elements of the Performance Task
G Goal Students will have the choice of working together in discussing the novel, answering the questions
What should students accomplish by so the students get different perspectives from their peers on Garnet Ravens healing Journey in
completing this task? finding his identity.
R Role
What role (perspective) will your Students will be writing from their interpretation of the novel, they will highlight key points that will
students be taking? be discussed throughout each lesson.
A Audience
Who is the relevant audience? The target Audience for the students writing will be for youth, their peers who may need that
interventional help.
S Situation
The context or challenge provided to
the student. Students will be asked to connect their personal thoughts and opinions to the novel to support their
P Product, Performance own ideas and thoughts. Thus, being asked to locate supporting details in the writing text that
What product/performance will the supports those ideas and thoughts.
 student
create?
The Students will have an essay assignment on Identity it will be a great opportunity to reflect and
create a brief statement that entail their personal thoughts and ideas on the literary piece.
S Standards & Criteria for
Success Attach rubric to Unit Plan
Create the rubric for the Performance
Task
Other Evidence Student Self-Assessment
Through what other evidence (work samples, observations, How will students reflect upon or self-assess their learning?
quizzes, tests, journals or other means) will students demonstrate
achievement of the desired results? Formative and summative
assessments used throughout the unit to arrive at the outcomes.

At the beginning of the unit, students will hand in a journal entries
in respect to the listening activity/motivational set. Students are
graded on their responses to questions based on questions
provided throughout the novel study. Students will be completing
questions in response to some of their writing in class through
brief passages and excerpts. They will also be assessed on their
participation in large class discussions and small group work. I also
will have the 3, 2, 1 exit slip (Formative Assessment) daily ongoing
after each lesson in the unit.
By having students teaching students in the final assessment,
students can reflect upon what they have learned over the course
of the unit by their ability to teach other students about their
critical identity theory lens and how to identify identity through
this specific First Nations lens.
I also will have the 3, 2, 1 exit slip (Formative Assessment) daily
ongoing after each lesson in the unit.

Stage 3 Learning Plan

What teaching and learning experiences will you use to:
achieve the desired results identified in Stage 1?
equip students to complete the assessment tasks identified in Stage 2?
Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are
going?
What experiences do the learners bring to the unit? How have the interests of the learners been ascertained? Have
the learners been part of the pre-planning in any way? What individual needs do you anticipate will need to be
addressed?
Learning environment: Where can this learning best occur? How can the physical environment be arranged to enhance
learning?
By the end of this unit, my students will be able to have a good understanding of identity. In the past, many of these students have
studied identity through their own learning and assessment, however, since not all students might not be aware of the sixties
scoop/foster care era in class this is where I will need to go through it with all students. The students will know where they are going
through the initial explanation of the unit. My learners experiences are crucial to this unit plan being successfulmany of the theory of
identity ideas are based from what my students perceive to work within society and themselves. Although the learners played a huge
part in how I developed these lessons (ex. Knowing how much about residential schools and Indian affairs policies, they were not part
of the pre-planning. I anticipate that many students will not understand some of the critical lens theories (Readers Response, Post
colonialism). For the EAL students, I plan to write the agenda of the day on the board, print out the PowerPoint for all students, and
offer additional help at lunch hours for any students. Learning will take place in the classroom and outside as these crucial topics are
part of their daily lives.
How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set)

I will ask students to go home and do a little research on the Sixties scoop, videos, readings, what they find online (keynote speakers
on this topic, write them down for their own learning and any other important findings they will share in class) (based on Readers
Response lens). Sixties scoop era is a very sensitive subject, so it is natural for First Nation students to feel this anger and sadness into
better understanding of the history of our people by helping each other out and being theyre for one another, being there for my
students if they need to talk to someone. I will always offer my support and compassion to my students as this is a big part of my
Identity as a teacher. The reason for this activity is to make them more aware of the many hardships First Nation people go through in
society, to help them understand that these hardships came with the Eurocentric views of colonialism. This is will also help my students
to be able to identify what they know or dont know about identity. Once students establish this part, it will hopefully be easier for them
to remain open-minded during the unit.

What events will help students experience and explore the enduring understandings and essential questions in the
unit? How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
# Lesson Title Lesson Activities CCCs Resources

1 Introduction Before we begin we will all take part in smudging and prayer DIT, Medicine
to Novel 1) Students will be assigned their own copy of Novel Keeper N Me DII, DL, Wheel
Keeper N 2) Students will be assigned their own (yellow/red/blue/white) (colors of the medicine wheel) DSR teachings,
Me duo tangs labeled novel Study journal. Smudging
Class 1 3) Hand out Glossary terms protocols,
4) As a class, we will read the acknowledgments in the novel, Read the preface to the students Research
from Keepern Me on back of novel, on the smartboard as a class I will introduce Author on Richard
(Richard Wagamese). Important for students to know as he was an influential First Nation Wagamess,
author (Students will need to take notes as a way for students to remember/honor his
memory) 5-10 minutes
5) Students will take 15-20 minutes to write their own Autobiography to write 2-3 paragraphs
in their Novel Study Journal.
If you could meet the late Author what types of questions would you ask?
5-8 questions that do relate to basic interest such what inspired him to write, where he got
his stories from etc.
For this assignment ask students to do a little research on Sixties scoop and bring to next
class and to start thinking and having discussions on talks about what they think is identity.
Share a few questions as a group.
2 First Read We will start with a smudge and prayer, this is going to lead us into some heavy discovering DIT, Medicine
Class 2 and truth about the hardships of what the residential school/ foster care system placed on DII, DL, Wheel
First Nation people. DSR teachings,
1) As a class, we will discuss the foster care system and what it means to be Smudging
apprehended. protocols,
2) Show 9:13 minute YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch? youtube.co
v=kH_bdlYNnFU m,
Sixties Scoop video.
3) Provide a list of idea questions on smartboard that will give them ideas on what
they can write about on next writing piece. Glossary of terms.
4) As a class, we will all read Book 1 - pages 1 to 30 pages. (If we do not finish will start
where we left off for next class) (I will read pages with them to keep up with time)
5) Students will pull out their 3,2,1 exit slips
Students will be asked (10 minutes) to write a reflection on their own thoughts
 pertaining to the first 30 pages they read and the Sixties scoop era video.
3 Second Start with a short recap of what we all read from our last class with Keepern me DIT, Keepern
Read (If we have not finished from book 1, we will pick where we left off) DII, DL, me novel
Class 3 1. Start class on where we last left off in the novel DSR
2. Second class we all read together in Book 1 from pages 31 to 59 to finish book 1 in the
novel.
3. Students will write reflection 2-3 paragraphs in their novel Study Journal. This is where
students can share their personal thoughts and opinions on what was just read in the first
book 1 section of the
Assign Book 1 with 5 questions for students to complete for next class in their
journals
Questions will allow the students to familiarize themselves with the main
character Garnet and how his life span at the beginning of the novel.
4 Novel Study Review & Correct questions as a class from Book 1. DIT, Keepern
Class 4 1) Pre-Read Activity #2 - For students to be mindful to look these ideas as we all read DII, DL, me novel
Do you think is was easy for Garnet to re-establish kinship and relationship ties in his home DSR
community? How did he do this?
Can you think of stories that you have heard within your community of people being
disconnected in their culture, families, and way of life? Can this be a result of residential
schools in taking kids away from their families?
2) Students will pull out their 3,2,1 exit slip
Hand out: What/Where do you consider your community? I will read to the class
what my community is and a little bit about my relationship with residential
school and foster care system have placed on finding my own identity.
5 Third Read As a class, we will start to read again together starting with book 2. DIT, Keepern
Class 5 1. Start class on where we last left off ending from Book 1 the novel DII, DL, me novel
2. Second class we all read together in Book 2 from pages 61 to 87 DSR
3. Students will write reflection 2-3 paragraphs in their novel Study Journal. This is where
students can share their personal thoughts and opinions on Garnets return to his
community.
4. Assign Book 2 with 5 questions for students to complete for next class.
Questions will allow the students to familiarize themselves with the main
character Garnets return to his community.
6 Fourth class read 61 to 85 pages. DIT, Keepern
Fourth As a class, we will start to read again together starting with book 2. DII, DL, me novel
Read 1) Start class on where we last left off ending from Book 2 of the novel DSR
Class 6 2) We will all read together in Book 2 from pages 87 to 111
3) Students will write reflection 2-3 paragraphs in their novel Study Journal. This is
where students can share their personal thoughts and opinions on Garnets return to
his community.
4) Assign Book 2 with 5 questions for students to complete for next class.
5) Students will pull out their 3,2,1 exit slip
Questions will allow the students to familiarize themselves with the main
character Garnets return to his community.
7 Character Display Activity character profile for Garnet on Smartboard DIT, Keepern
Profile Read: Part A (What if Garnet never returned to his community?) DII, DL, me novel
Garnet Part B (What if Garnet was never placed in the foster care, how do you think his life DSR
Novel Study would have been like?)
Class 7 As a class and cover imperative details that pertain to both writing assignments
 Students will have the opportunity to complete both writing assignments in class.
Due: Next Class. Concepts of identity.
8 Fifth Read Start with a short recap of what we all read from our last class with Keepern me DIT, Keepern
Class 8 (If we have not finished from book 2, we will pick where we left off) DII, DL, me novel
1) Start class on where we last left off in the novel DSR
2) We will all read together in Book 3 from pages 113 to 134 in novel.
3) Students will write reflection 2-3 paragraphs in their novel Study Journal. This is
where students can share their personal thoughts and opinions on what was just
read in the first book in the new pages of book 3 section.
Assign Book 3 with 5 questions for students to complete for next class.
Questions will allow the students to familiarize themselves with resilience,
healing, community (Garnet is learning to find balance in his life).
9 Sixth Read Start with a short recap of what we all read from our last class with Keepern me DIT, Keepern
Class 9 (If we have not finished from book 3, we will pick where we left off) DII, DL, me novel,
1) As a class, we will read Book 3 pages 135 to 152. DSR glossary
2) Pre-Reading Vocabulary handouts (teacher guided reading) terms on
3) Students will answer questions from Pre-Reading Vocabulary hand out together. First Nation
What is Anishnaabe? Where are the Ojibway people located? What is an Indian culture and
Reservation? What is the significance of the drum? What is Mother Earth? terms
4) Students will pull out their 3,2,1 exit slip
Students will write reflection 2 - 3 paragraphs in their Novel Study Journal.

1 Identity Start class with introduction to their essay assignment on their own Identity. Glossary DIT, Keepern
0 Essay terms, basics to writing an essay. The Students will write a two-page essay on identity. The DII, DL, me novel
Class 10 students will answer who they are, what do they know about themselves and their family. DSR
Where do they see themselves doing on their healing/growing journey?
Instruction on how to write an essay for the first part of class.
Due: at the end of the unit
1 Seventh Start with a short recap of what we all read from our last class with Keepern me DIT, Keepern
1 Read (If we have not finished from book 3, we will pick where we left off) DII, DL, me novel
Class 11 1) As a class, we will read Book 4: pages 155 to 182. DSR
2) Students will write reflection in their Novel Study Journal.
3) Assign students Book 4 1 to 4 questions from pages 155 to 182
4) Students will pull out their 3,2,1 exit slip

1 Eight Read 1) As a class, we will read Book 4: pages 183 to 214. DIT, Keepern
2 Class 12 2) Students will write 2-3 paragraph reflection in their Novel Study Journal. DII, DL, me
At the end of our novel study I will prepare the students for: The Blanket DSR
Exercise. I will provide knowledge in the sensitivity but remind students it will be
beneficial for their learning. Students can partake by watching the exercise, if
the do not wish to participate.
1 Conclusion/ Classroom Activity/Other Grade 12 classrooms: The Blanket Exercise (Group DIT, Keepern
3 wrap Up exercise with other classes pertaining to Truth and Reconciliation) DII, DL, me novel,
The Blanket The Blanket Exercise is an important teaching tool that uses participatory popular education DSR space, the
Exercise methodology to raise awareness and understanding of the history of the relationship gym,
Class 13 between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. Kleenex,
(3 to 4 hours) Truth and Reconciliation, Residential Schools, Sixties scoop, Murdered and missing chairs for
Aboriginal women. talking
1) Facilitator will conduct the blanket exercise for the classes participating circle
 2) Offer full support to students having difficulty in the process of the exercise (rock),
3) Helping the elder, guidance counsellor with emotional support for all students elder, the
4) To have an open mind, heart with all students in talking circle after exercise blanket kit
(KAIROS
GOALS: For the exercise 2011),
To engage participants in the historic relationship between Europeans and the Indigenous administrat
nations, and in the history of the colonization of the lands we now call Canada. ive
To make it clear that Indigenous peoples continue to exist as living communities and facilitator
continue to have distinct rights and identities as nations, under the treaties and the for
Constitution. exercise,
To help participants explore and begin to acknowledge the continuing impact of colonization guidance
on Indigenous communities. counsellor
For students and teachers: To contribute to ensuring that the living history between
Indigenous peoples and newcomers is part of classroom learning.

Ending with The Blanket Exercise will lead to more topics of discussion and
learning areas on Truth and Reconciliation for our First Nation Students.
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Assess and Reflect (Stage 4)

Considerations
Required Areas of Study:
Is there alignment between outcomes,
performance assessment and learning
experiences? Explain how.
Adaptive Dimension:
Have I made purposeful adjustments to the
curriculum content (not outcomes), instructional
practices, and/or the learning environment to meet
the learning needs and diversities of all my
students?
Instructional Approaches:
Do I use a variety of teacher directed and student
centered instructional approaches? What are
they?
Resource Based Learning:
Do the students have access to various resources
on an ongoing basis? List them.
FNM/I Content and Perspectives/Gender
Equity/Multicultural Education:
Have I nurtured and promoted diversity while
Comments
Truth and Reconciliation is foundation for the Novel study. Learning about Truth
and Reconciliation is mandatory in all the Curriculum studies.
For struggling students:
Character profile of Garnet: Students will be asked to divide an 8x10 paper in
half. First half, students will draw an image of the main character Garnet Raven,
write a sentence about the Character. On the other half, students will be asked
to draw an image of themselves, students will complete the assignment once
students write a sentence on themselves.
Final project:
Students who will be benefit from adaptations will be asked to draw a map of
white dog Reservation. The map will be drawn 8x10 blank paper, students will
be encouraged to draw free hand; however, students will be given a copy to
trace from.
The more color and extra detail will be encouraged and praised.
For students who need a challenge:
Activity two: Garnets situation- A Newspaper Report Hand on out on Sixties
scoop, the writing assignment go over questions for discussion.
Assign writing assignment: Students will be asked to write a Newspaper article
based on what the sixties scoop or on truth and reconciliation is, students may
include quotes from witnesses to make the story more realistic, and refer to
whether Garnets name should be mentioned based on the discussion.
Within the Novel study writing activities, and guided reading, the final projects,
also the classroom discussions students will be experience the following
instructional approaches; Direct instruction, Indirect instruction, Interactive
instruction, and independent study.
Students will be given a novel to reflect information, they will be given
handouts for questions and writing activities.
Residential School books/audio/videos/articles
Truth and Reconciliation commission of Canada
Sixties scoop/Foster Care system
The Blanket Exercise
First Nation culture is nurtured and identified. The main objective in this novel
study is centered around finding Identity, discovering Identity with regards to
the ties to our First Nation communities and heritage. I have knowledge First
honoring each childs identity? How have I done Nation culture by bringing the smudge, prayer, culture, tradition, which is
this? always a part of ceremony. I brought delicate and acknowledged the history of
the sixties scoop and residential school era and is centered around the main
idea when reading Keepern me. I have supported my students with
compassion, love and care in that this will affect and touch the hearts of my
First Nation students.

From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN # 0-87120-
313-8 (pbk)